Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling

Issue Overview

Across the United States, family farms and ranches are navigating a complex economic environment, with one of the most pressing issues being the rising trade deficit and the persistence of uncompetitive market activities. In order to leverage the influence of the United States’ identity as an innovative and fruitful agricultural leader across the globe, we must embrace mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL).

The term MCOOL represents a group of policies that establish the origins of specific commodities. MCOOL can be an effective marketing tool for family farmers and ranchers by certifying their U.S. farmer status, further helping provide clarity on the origins of foods for consumer use. As many commodity dumping operations continue to take place across the country, it is important that Congress reauthorizes these marketing tools to safeguard family farms and ranches.